1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to web-based distribution of digital content. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for online content licensing and distribution.
2. Related Art
In today's society, digital content (including pictures, videos, music, etc.) is created by individuals, corporations, and other entities at a considerable rate. With the prevalence of digital photography, videography, and music production, the distribution and licensing of digital content is of critical importance to many business entities.
Frequently, the Internet is utilized to transmit digital content from one entity to another. Content sharing websites exist, such as SnapFish and ShutterFly, which allow individuals to upload digital content (e.g., photos) to a central website, and to share the uploaded content with designated recipients, over the Internet. Unfortunately, such websites do not provide a robust way to license uploaded content to individuals, and to collect and automatically distribute royalties associated with content to one or more entities. Indeed, with many content sharing websites, the ability to define royalty distributions amongst multiple recipients, and to automatically distribute collected royalties to such recipients, is lacking. Still further, existing content sharing websites lack a robust mechanism for suggesting license fees for uploaded content to users, based upon information about content usage, media type, license exclusivity, and specific parameters associated with content licenses.
Accordingly, what would be desirable, but has not yet been provided, is a system and method for online content licensing and distribution, which allows content providers to upload content to a central website, define licenses and royalties associated with uploaded content, obtain a suggested license fee for the uploaded content, and to automatically collect and distribute royalties acquired by licensees of the uploaded content, with minimal intervention on the part of content providers.